Playbooks

Mtn Spacing

Shotgun·Bunch Spread Nasty·11

Diagram coming soon

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

SetBunch Spread Nasty

Personnel

111 RB · 1 TE · 3 WR

In 2 playbooks

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Breakdown

Mtn Spacing is a classic spacing concept run out of the Bunch Spread Nasty set, designed to attack zone defenses with quick, horizontal stretch routes at staggered depths. The bunch alignment creates natural pick opportunities and forces defenders to widen out of the box, while the underneath routes settle into the flats, hooks, and hitch zones to spread out zone defenders and give the quarterback easy access throws. The primary progression starts with the shallow flat route out of the bunch, works to the middle hitch or sit route, then climbs to the far side hitch if the zone is soft, making this a zone beater first and foremost.

Defensive Reads

Read the flat defender first since spacing lives and dies on whether he sits on the shallow route or widens with motion. Check safety depth pre-snap, a two high shell with soft corners tells you the hitch and sit routes will be open underneath the sticks. Watch for a hard trigger from an underneath linebacker on the shallow route, which signals a Cover 3 sink or a blitz look that opens up the middle hitch. Cover 1 or Cover 0 man pressure with no help over the bunch can jump the underneath crossers, so be ready to check your protection or throw off timing before the user lurk defender closes. If the cornerback aligned outside the bunch sits flat footed at the snap, that usually signals a soft zone drop, giving you a clean access throw to the outside hitch against Cover 2 or Cover 4 shells.

Usage Tips

Look for zone shells like Cover 2 or Cover 3 pre-snap since the spacing concept thrives when defenders are dropping to zones instead of playing man.

If you see man coverage or a two high shell with corners jumping the bunch, hot route one of the underneath receivers into a quick out or slant to counter press man alignments.

This play excels on third and short to third and medium since the quick game timing allows you to get the ball out before the pass rush closes, minimizing sack risk against exotic blitz packages.

Pair Mtn Spacing with Mtn Slot Hitch or Mtn Slot Under in your play-calling sequence so the defense sees similar bunch action and cannot key on the specific route distribution.

Use hard counts and pre-snap motion out of the bunch to bait linebackers into revealing man versus zone, then confirm your first read based on how the flat defender reacts.